Maggie Balacki and her husband of 19 years, Craig Leffler, met serendipitously in Buffalo, New York, married and moved to the Annapolis area shortly after the wedding.

Though they’ve both lived all over the country – and the world – they are natives of Pennsylvania. He’s from Reading and she is from Scranton.

Balacki, a retired Navy captain, who was commissioned after graduating from nursing school and, after earning a degree from George Mason University and two Masters Degrees from University of Buffalo, had her heart set on Annapolis.

Falling in love – with Annapolis

After serving eight years on active duty, she was in the Navy Reserves for two decades. During that time, she was a “Blue and Gold” officer, guiding Buffalo-area teens who aspired to attend the Naval Academy through the school’s admissions process. She would travel to Annapolis for training sessions every three years – and fell in love with the town.

When she met Leffler, and fell in love with him, too, she insisted they move south to the city by the Chesapeake bay. He agreed.

“We just love the same things,” said Balacki. “Annapolis has a small town feeling, but is accessible to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and without the hassle with the traffic – we now know all the shortcuts and back roads.”

Margaret "Maggie' Balacki and Craig D. Leffler's Home of the Week in Heritage Harbour, Annapolis.

(Joshua McKerrow)

She is still working in the gero-psychiatry care field dealing with memory loss.

Leffler, one of the original Peace Corps volunteers selected in 1961 early in the Kennedy administration, served for two years in West Africa – and collected many sculptural works of art, paintings and tapestries during his stay. Afterward, he went to grad school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and worked for the National Labor Relations Board.

Between them, from previous marriages, they have seven children, 10 grandchildren, and one-great-grandchild. Together, they are volunteers at First Presbyterian Church in Historic Annapolis, serve as ushers at Colonial Players and Annapolis Shakespeare theaters, and are members of the Democratic 30 Club.

From 2002 to 2013, they lived in a large, two-story, three-bedroom, three-bath condo off Bestgate Road.

“We thought all our kids and grandkids would visit at the same time,” Balacki said with a smile.

Finding a haven in Heritage Harbour

They decided to downsize and spent two years searching for the perfect, smaller house. They found it in the Heritage Harbour, a 55+ adult community located seven miles from downtown Annapolis. The large community boasts a variety of home types, from apartments to single family homes, recreation facilities, and opportunities to engage in physical, recreational, educational and cultural activities.

They purchased the house in 2013. Built in 1988, they are the residence’s second owners.

They worked with an interior designer to find the right tones with which to paint their walls.

“We have what we need here. We wanted a house to show the art and artifacts we collected separately and together. We did not want the walls to distract from the artwork, but feature what we have,” Leffler said.

Their art seems to span much of the United States and the globe, reflecting the odysseys they’ve taken alone or as a couple. There are Impressionistic scenes painted of – and from – Montmartre, a large hill in Paris' 18th arrondissement, photos of the Split Rock Lighthouse high on a steep bluff in Minnesota, embroidered scenes of Chinese pagodas and nesting herons from China, and a photo of the Asian-style Pagoda in Reading, Pennsylvania.

There is even an unusual photo of a twisted remnant of an ancient tree trunk in the American West. When Leffler photographed it, part of the trunk resembled an ancient prophet reaching for the sky while another man huddled at his feet. When Leffler returned a few years later, all evidence of the trunk had vanished.

There is a “travel wall” in one hallway, and the office is filled with family photos. “We call it the Family Art Room,” said Balacki.

They completely renovated their two bathrooms.

“This one was all pink,” Balacki said, wrinkling her nose.

It has been transformed with the amber, golden and russet tones seen throughout the one-story house. They removed the aging, mismatched appliances in the kitchen and installed newer, brushed steel models. The washer and dryer were brought up from the basement and placed in a wide closet, a move Leffler originally resisted, but now loves for its convenience.

They also ignored the then-nascent movement toward open space main floors.

In case there is a deluge of houseguests, the two-bedroom house has a room that usually serves as a study and office area – the Family Art Room, but a corner of the room is equipped with a single bed. In the basement rec room, a beautiful space decorated with African art, sculpture, baskets, woven tapestries and one made of animal skin, there is a couch with a pull-out bed.

One luxurious touch is the home’s solarium on the rear of the main floor.

There the centerpiece, surrounded by art, is “Nana’s Swimming Pool,” a large, deep, handsome tub with gold-toned fixtures. There, the couple can idle in the water while enjoying a woodland view through the room’s large, arching window.

“We love the theater, here in Annapolis, and the art galleries. We enjoy going downtown during that window of time when the tourists and the state legislators have gone home,” said Balacki. “We love the historical aspects of the town, too.”

Leffler nodded. “I’ve been a tour guide here and in Washington, D.C., We’re delighted to be here and intend to stay here.”

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Would you like to see your house, townhome, condo, apartment, cottage or cabin cruiser featured as The Capital's Home of the Week? To nominate your home, send Wendi Winters an email with your contact information and details about your residence to wwinters@capgaznews.com.